During my sentencing, the Judge asked me if I understood everything. I didn't, but I said that I did. I was scared and overwhelmed, and I was doing what my public defender told me to do. I mean, I knew that I was pleading guilty to two misdemeanors, which my public defender told me "wouldn't affect me", but I honestly thought I had a deferred judgement. A deferred judgement....something I never even heard of until my public defender told me about it. He failed to tell me, that he didn't get me a deferred judgement though. I thought as I was pleading guilty, that I had a deferred judgement.
On the day of my sentencing, the Judge asked me if I would like to speak. I did. I apologized to my ex, who I already apologized to already...but I apologized to him again, in court. I apologized to the court. I told the Judge that I learned from my mistake, and that I was working on changing myself and that I was truly sorry. And I was.
In addition to having spent 6 very long nights in jail, below is what I received. Keep in mind, I had no prior record, and I was never in trouble with the law before:
convicted of 2 misdemeanors: 1 for assault; and 1 for menacing
3 years of probation
36 weeks of Domestic Violence classes
12 weeks of Anger Management classes (the 2 classes totaled 72 hours)
3 day parenting class since my son was in the house at the time
48 hours of community service
Mandatory mental health treatment i.e. seeing a therapist and a psychiatrist
fines that totaled just under $2,000 (this excludes the money that the ankle monitor cost)
After I was sentenced, and as I started taking my classes, I found out that some of the people in my classes did far worse then me (not that I am justifying what I did, because what I did was WRONG), and some of them had prior records, and they received a "slap on the hand" so to speak, in comparison to what I received.
The therapist that conducted the domestic violence class never even heard of somebody getting sentenced to both domestic violence classes AND anger management classes. It's ususally one or the other...and typically people are sentenced to domestic violence classes because they are longer than anger management classes. They didn't even know how to handle me taking both classes, since they never saw somebody get sentenced to both.
In my opinion, our justice system is corrupt. If a person has money, they can get off practically "scott-free". I don't think that's fair. I think it should be the same across the board for everybody...but it doesn't work that way.
For example...take a look at Charlie Sheen. Look at all of the trouble he has been in. He has got quite the "wrap-sheet". If you don't know what he has done, all you have to do is type his name in to google, along with the words "domestic violence" and/or "sentence". He's been in trouble with the law continuously. Not only did he (or does he) use drugs and drink to excess, but he beats up women and has gotten in trouble more than once because of domestic violence.
While in Aspen, Colorado, Charlie Sheen was accused of pinning down his wife to the bed and holding a knife up to her neck. And this was not his first offense. Charlie Sheen received the following sentence for that offense:
3 months of probation (keep in mind, I received 3 YEARS of probation)
36 hours of counseling
30 days of rehab
That's it. That's what Charlie Sheen received. And that is with him having a prior record. See for yourself at: http://www.nydailynews.com/gossip/2010/08/02/2010-08-02_charlie_sheen_sentenced_to_rehab_not_jail_after_pleading_guilty_to_assaulting_wi.html
Charlie Sheen did not lose his job. In fact, he is the highest paid TV actor in the U.S. He receives approximately 1.25 million dollars for EVERY EPISODE of "Two and a Half Men".
Me? I can't receive a job in Commercial Real Estate again, nor any other high paying job because of my record. Most employment agencies won't even work with me because I have 2 misdemeanors, and 1 of them is considered a "violent crime".
My public defender told me that the misdemeanors wouldn't affect me, but they did. They have ruined my life. And the worst part is that they are with me for life.
Charlie Sheen is just one example of our corrupt justice system. I'm not saying I didn't deserve to get in trouble for what I did....but I believe that I received more harsh of a sentence than I should have received. But then again...my last name is not "Sheen".
